Abrading machine

ABSTRACT

AN ABRADING MACHINE IS PROVIDED WHICH CONSISTS OF AN ABRASIVE BELT BEARING AGAINST AND BEING DRAWN ACROSS THE SIDE OF A TRAVELING STRAND, WIRE, ROD OR PIPE, AND ROTATING ABOUT IT. THE STRAND IS GUIDED AND BACKED BY A GROOVED SUPPORT ON THE AXIS OF THE ROTATING SYSTEMS THE BELT DRIVE AND IDLER ROLLERS, OR CARRIERS, ARE PROVIDED WITH ALIGNING ADJUSTMENTS, AND THE LATTER ADDITIONALLY HAS A TENSIONING SPRING ARRANGEMENT AND IS COMPENSATED FOR CENTRIFUGAL FORCE.

J. 5. CASE ABRADING MACHINE Feb. 2, 1971 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 21. 1968 FIG. I

WIRE TRAVEL 79 82 as 77 a2 37 INVENTOR JOHN 3. CASE BY 10% m ATTORNEY Feb. 2, 1971 J. 5. CA5; 3,559,348

ABRADING MACHINE Filed May 21; 1968 7 Sheets Sheet 2 FIG. 2

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ATTORNEY J. 5. CASE ABRADING MACHINE Fen. 2, 1971 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Ma 21. .1968

INVENTOR M TTORNEY JOH/V s. CASE J li-HMS E============== Mm Vmhm mm Feb. 2, 1971' Y J. 5. CASE 3,5 8

' I I ABRADING MACHINE Filed May 2;. 1968 "I Sheets-Sheet 5 INV EN TOR ATTORNEY Feb. 2-, 1971 J. 5. CASE 3,559,348

ABRADING MACHINE Filed May 21. 1968 f 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 v INVENTOR JOHN 5. 0/] SE ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,559,348 ABRADING MACHINE John S. Case, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Anchor Post iroducts, Inc., Baltimore, MIL, a corporation of New ersey Filed May 21, 1968, Ser. No. 730,820 Int. Cl. B24b 21/02 US. Cl. 51-135 23 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates generally to abrading machines, and more particularly it pertains to a cleaning machine for continuous lengths of wire. Although this machine is illustrated in. conjunction with abrading and cleaning of wire, it is not limited thereto as it can be readily adapted to clean rod, pipe, or other types of cylindrical or elongated objects.

Machines which clean by wire brushing or grinding have been developed for cylindrical objects such as pipe. When the. object is of small diameter, however, the efficiency of wire brushes falls ofl:' and grinding wheels interfere with themselves. Further, the flexibility. of the strandprevents uniform contact in theabrading area especially over an extended length. a J a a It is an objectof this invention, therefore, to provide a machinefor exposing a traveling strand to a transversely operating abrasive belt so as to affect a complete uniform circumferential abrading of the surface.

Another object of this invention is to provide a backing arrangement fora traveling strand in an abrading machine so as to support a length uniformly to abrasive action. 7 Another object of this invention is to provide a wire cleaning machine in which the replacement of the abrasive belt. and adjustment thereof is easily accomplished.

Still another objective of the invention is the provision of tensioning means for an orbiting abrasive belt which compensates for centrifugal force on theidler roller.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent and understood from the following detailed specification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a wire abrading machine incorporating features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is an end view opposite to that of FIG. 2 taken on line 3-3 of FIGI'I;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the idling carrier tensioning arrangement taken on line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an axial sectioning along line 5-5 of FIG. 2, throughan adjustable alignment bearing arrangement for the driven carrier; I

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section of an arrangement which allows axial adjustment of the idler tensioning arrangement disclosed in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a' longitudinal section of the wire support extension of the axial shaft as viewed in the direction of the arrows 77 of FIG. 1;

Patented Feb. 2, 1971 thereof taken on lines 8--8 and 99 respectively of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is an end view, similar to FIG. 2, illustrating a modification of this invention;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged detailed view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional detail view taken along line 12l2 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged detail view taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 14 is a detail view taken along line 14-14 of FIG. 10.

Referring now to the details of the drawings with particular attention to FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 indicates generally a wire abrading machine. A main drive belt 11 from a prime mover (not shown), rotates a hollow main shaft 13 by means of a drive pulley 12. This main shaft 13 is supported by a bearing 15 on a vertical channel iron column 14 which is part of the frame of the machine 10. Another drivebelt 16 from a remote motor (not shown), rotates the abrading system through a pulley 17 which runs freely on the main shaft 13.

A belt tensioning arm 19, to the right of the pulley 17, is secured at its midpoint to the main shaft 13 by setscrew 21. The arm 19 is provided at one end with an idler pulley 22 as best shown in FIG. 2 and it has a counterweight 23 at the other end. A belt 24 passes over the idler pulley 22 from a pulley 18, integral with the previously mentioned pulley 17, and drives a driven pulley 25 secured on the end of. a shaft 26. 1

This shaft 26 is joumaled in an angularly adjustable bearing arrangement 27 for the driven belt carrier 28 mounted thereon for rotation as shown best in FIGS. 1 and 3. This carrier 28 is spaced parallel to one side of a wire support 29 which is an extension of the main shaft 13.

An idling belt carrier 31, on a shaft 32, is similarly spaced diametrically opposite on the other side of the wire support 29. An endless abrasive belt B is mounted upon and extends between the two carriers 28 and 31 passing only on one side of the wire support 29 to bear against a wire W supported therein as best shown in FIGS. 3, 8 and 9.

The shaft 32 for the idling carrier 31 is joumaled in an axially adjustable bearing arrangement shown generally by the numeral 34.

This arrangement 34 and the previously mentioned bearing arrangement 27 are mounted on a large disc 42 to which is attached a central fitting 43. The body 44 of the fitting 43 is provided with radial slots 45 and a split clamp ring 46 therearound, as best shown in FIG. 7, whereby it may adjustably be clamped by means of a screw 47 to the main shaft 13. Screws 49 through a flange 48 mount the disc 42 for rotation therewith. The carriers 28 and 31 thus carried around by the disc 42, in a clockwise direction, as shown by the curved arrow in FIG. 3, orbit about the wire W in wire support 29 as a center.

The wire W passes through a bore 51 in the shaft 13 as shown in FIG. 7 and extends under tension across a a long wide groove, or cut-away area 52, in the extended support 29. The base of groove 52 is cut away to provide a pair of sloping surfaces 53 which allow clearance for belt B, as best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

The machining operation which provides the two sloping surfaces 53 results also in a long axial groove 54 continuous with bore 51.

FIGS 8 and 9 are oppositely viewed cross sections The exit port of bore 51 has a hardened bushing 55, secured by a setscrew 56, and it is chosen to slidably guide the wire W. Screws 58 secure a hardened grooved wire support 57 within the groove 54 which runs the length of the cut-away area 52.

The output end 59 of the support 29 is provided with a counterbore 61 into which a hardened bushing 62, similar to bushing 55, is fastened by a setscrew 63. Relief ports 64 are bored transversely in the body 44 of the disc supporting fitting 43 to allow escape of scale or other alien matter scraped from the wire W by the first-named bushing 55. The output end 59 is contoured, as shown in FIG. 9, to facilitate replacement of the abrasive belt B.

Any deviation, from parallel, of the axes of carriers 31 and 32 will tend to cause belt B to drift in the direction of convergence of these axes. The drag of wire W in its movement from left to right, as viewed in FIG. 1, will also encourage the belt to walk or drift toward the right. A simple angular adjustment to shaft 26, through the adjustable bearing arrangement 27 as described subsequently, will counteract any tendency for the belt to shift due to misalignment or wire drag.

With reference to FIG. 1, two self-aligning bearings 65 and 66 are provided for the shaft 26. The first bearing 65, as best shown in FIG. 5, is mounted on four threaded posts 68 and clamped, by means of locknuts 73, between apertured sandwich plates 71 and 72. The sandwich plate 72 is drilled and tapped from the edges with holes 76 for four spaced adjustment screws 75 which extend within the aperture 74 and bear against the sides of the bearing 65. The clearance of the aperture 74 allows the positioning of the bearing 65 in a plane normal to the axis of shaft 26 so as to shift the pulley end of shaft 26.

The posts 68 extend from the rotating disc 42 and another apertured sandwich plate 67 clamps the second self-aligning bearing 66 thereagainst by means of locknuts 69. Since the bearing 66 is fixed in location, the adjustable bearing 65 allows the carrier 28 to be canted as shown by the curved arrows at its right end in FIG. 1.

A realignment of shaft 26 will, of course, change the tension of belt 24 which can be compensated for by loosening setscrew 21, in tensioning arm 19, and repositioning the arm.

When the position of belt B has been stabilized on carrier 28 it may then become necessary to reposition idling carrier 31 slightly to the left or right to prevent the abrasive belt from edge riding the carrier 31. The method for effecting this adjustment will next be discussed.

A support post 77 is provided for the axially adjustable bearing arrangement 34 of idling carrier 31. It is secured to the disc 42, as shown best in FIG. 4, by means of a long bolt 78. An arm 79 is welded to the free end thereof and it extends to the side. A pair of spaced self-aligning bearings 81 are provided in axial adjustment arrangement 34 to allow shifting of carrier 31 as shown by the double headed arrow.

The bearings '81 are secured in spaced relationship by nuts 84 on long bolts 83 through three of the four corners of their flanges 82. The fourth corner of the flanges 82 has an adjusting rod 86 slidably passed therethrough. The left hand end 87 of the rod 86 as viewed in FIG. 6, is reduced and threaded to pass through the arm 79 and is there secured with a nut 88. The right hand end 89 is reduced and threaded into the disc 42.

As best shown in FIG. 6, the central portion 91 of rod 86 is enlarged and threaded. An internally threaded sleeve 92 is carried on this portion 91 and it can be rotated by means of wrenching holes 94 in a flanged portion 93. A wear spacer 99 is interposed, on rod 86, between the right hand end of sleeve 92 and flange 82. of right hand bearing 82. To the left of flange 93, the sleeve 92 is provided with radial slots 95 extending through a reduced end 96.

A split lock-ring 97 embraces this end 96 and a screw 98 is used to constrict it upon the rod 86 after an adjustment is made. To limit the translation of the bearings 81 toward the disc 42, a stop spacer 101 is provided on the right hand end of rod 86. The shaft 32 is caused to travel with the bearings 81 by means of lock collars 85 as shown in FIG. 4.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the arms 103 of a yoke 102 are secured to two diametrically opposite bolts 83 by nuts 104. This yoke 102 functions as lever arm for a counterweight 105 secured to its right hand end. The counterweight 105 is positioned a substantially greater distance from its pivoting point, about rod 86, than is idler shaft 32. Thus, the centrifugal forces acting upon counterweight 105 and the considerably larger mass of carrier 31 are maintained in equilibrium while permitting the shaft 32 to be moved toward or away from shaft 26 for purposes of tensioning the abrasive belt; movement of shaft 32 being allowed for by an arcuate slot 111 shown by dotted line in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The same bolt and nut 106 which secures the counterweight on the yoke also secures an extending bracket 107. A tension coiled spring 108 is hooked to the bracket 107 and it extends to a turnbuckle 109 which is attached to one of the threaded posts 68 of the other bearing arrangement 27. By means of the spring and turnbuckle, the tension applied to the abrasive belt by carriers 28 and 31 can be adjusted for optimum performance without need to consider an increase in tension from centrifugal force acting on carrier 31 because of the balanced yoke-suspended arrangement described above.

With reference to FIG. 1, the oribiting carriers 28 and 31 are enclosed in a housing 35 which has a dust collector 36 and a trap door or bag attachment flange 37. The lefthand wall 39 of housing 35 has a large circular opening 41 which the disc 42 effectively closes. The righthand wall 113 has an access opening 112 with a door 114. An aperture 115 is made in this door 114 to pass the outgoing wire W. An exhaust duct 38 shown in FIG. 2, may be connected to an exhaust system if desired.

The entire rotating mass of the mechanism on the disc 42 is balanced by means of a suitably located counterweight 116, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3; to avoid resonance vibration.

In operation, a strand of wire W is fed continuously into the hollow main shaft 13 a portion of which is cut away at 52 where it is exposed to firm contact against the rapidly moving continuous abrasive belt B while being supported against deflection within the supporting portion 29 formed in the main shaft.

The belt is drawn across the wire by driving and idling carriers, 28 and 31 respectively, which rotate in the direction of the counterclockwise arrows of FIG. 3 while, at the same time, the carriers are orbited about the wire in a clockwise direction thereby exposing the entire surface of the wire to the abrasive belt.

The rate of wire feed can be varied, depending upon its condition, to allow for a longer or shorter period during which it is in contact with the abrasive belt. For the same purposes the belt speed and orbiting rate may be adjusted relative to each other since these are independently driven through belts 11 and 16 respectively.

Referring now to FIG. 10, there is shown at a somewhat more sophisticated version of the present invention which possesses several important advantages gained through a very modest increase in complexity.

In considering the following description, it should be borne in mind that the mechanical make-up of the invention and its operation are quite similar to the previously described embodiment with the exception that the belt carriers 28 and 31 have exchanged a portion of their roles; i.e., carrier 31 and its shaft are now driven and carrier 28 and its shaft 26 have become idlers.

The pulley 18 drives a belt 121, which passes over the tensioning pulley 22, carrier driving pulley 123 and an idling equalizer pulley 124. Pulleys 123 and 124 are parts of a driving and tensioning arrangement 122 for the abrasive belt which arrangement is somewhat similar to the previously described arrangement 34.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, driven shaft 32 is journaled in a pair of self-aligning bearings 81 which are pivotally supported by a rod which allows shaft 32 to be swung through a short are, in arcuate slot 111 thereby permitting slackening or tensioning of the abrasive belt B. As in the previous embodiment, centrifugal forces acting on the belt carrier 31 are countered by the yoke suspended weight 105.

' The rod 130 is threaded at 131 into the rotating disc 42 while being secured at its opposite end by a nut 133 to a dog-earred bracket 129 which is welded to a large support post 125. The post 125 is firmly secured to the disc 42 "by along bolt 128 and a pair of short bolts 127 through a base flange 126. A spacer 132 is carried by rod 130 to maintain clearance between disc 42 and the flange 82 of the innermost bearing 81.

A second yoke 134 has its two arms 135 secured by nuts 136 to two diametrically opposed threaded posts 83. The equalizing pulley 124 is carried by a stub shaft 138 which is secured by a nut 139 at the closed end 137 of the yoke.

As shown by the letters r in FIG. 11, the axis of shafts 32 and 138 are equidistantly spaced to each side of the axis of pivot rod 130. Thus, it can be seen that any movement of shaft 32, when adjusting abrasive belt tension, is compensated for by an equivalent opposite movement of shaft 138 thereby maintaining the tension of drive belt 121. It will be recalled from the previous embodiment that an adjustment to the tension of the abrasive belt entailed a corrective adjustment to the drive belt.

Attention is now directed to FIG. 13 and the lower portion of FIG. wherein there is disclosed an arrangement 141 whose function it is to provide angular adjustment of idling shaft 26 and belt carrier 28 when correcting any tendency of belt B to drift along the carrier axis.

In the previously described embodiment, when such an adjustment is needed it becomes necessary to stop and restart the machine several times until an angular position, for shaft 26, is found wherein belt B will stabilize. Arrangement 141 of this embodiment permits such adjustments to be effected while obviating the necessity for time consuming and costly shut-downs.

The inner self-aligning bearing 66 is clamped to disc 42 by an apertured plate 142 said plate being secured by nuts 69 on threaded posts 68. Four screws 143 provide a means for adjustably establishing the position of bearing 66 at time of assembly.

A second plate 144, is secured by nuts 145 to the outer ends of posts 68 and cooperates with a drive plate 148 to slidably support an outer bearing 146 whose flange 147 is sandwiched between the two plates. Protruding from the inner face of plate 148 are four studs 149 which are secured to the plate by setscrews 151. These studs pass first through close fitting holes 152 in flange 147 and thence through slots 153 in plate 144 behind which they are fitted with pairs of locknuts 156 which are adjusted to compress a split spring washer 155 carried between a pair of flat washers 154. Thenuts 156 are so adjusted as to maintain the three sandwich elements firmly together while permitting bearing 146 to be shifted up or down when drive plate 148 is caused to shift by turning of a feed screw 158 in a pair of threaded ears 157 on the driveplate.

The feedscrew 158 is journaled at its reduced end 159 in a bracket 161 which is fixed by capscrews 162 to plate 144. The opposite end is carried by a bracket 163 secured by capscrews 164. V

The feedscrew 158 is held against axial movement in one direction by reduced end 159 and in the opposite direction by a collar 166.

A pulley 167 secured to the outer end 165 of feedscrew 158 is employed to drive the feedscrew thus shifting drive plate 148 andouter bearing 146 causing the desired angular movement of shaft 26 about a point in fixed bearing 66.

FIG. 14 and the upper portion of FIG. 10 illustrate a lever arrangement 170 employed to impart rotation to pulley 167 when necesary to alter the angular alignment of shaft 26.

An arm 172 has its cylindrical end 173 adjustably secured within a split sleeve 168 by a clamp 174. The sleeve 168 is fixed to the earlier described framework column 14 by a clamp 169 and bolts 171.

A hollow lever 180, rectangular in cross-section, has two opposite sidewalls apertured at 175 to allow it to be mounted astride arm 172 and to be pivoted at 176.

The lever is provided with slots 179', in its sidewalls at its upper end, to permit passage therethrough of a rod 178 whose outer ends reside in the apertured leg of a pair of L-brackets 177. The rod 178 is secured by cotter keys 182 and supports a pair of springs 181 which cooperate to maintain the lever in a centered position. Adjustment screws 183 serve to,limit the swing of lever 180'.

A crossarm 184, provided with circular non-rotating hard rubber discs 185 at each end, is welded to lever 180 whose lower end is fitted, for manual actuation, with a handle 186.

The discs 185 are spaced sufiiciently to allow clearance for the pulley 167 during the machines operation. Should it become necessary to adjust the angularity of shaft 26 in order to stabilize belt B the handle 180 is moved either to the right or left, while the machine is running, allowing pulley 167 to contact momentarily a disc 185 thus imparting a small amount of rotation to the pulley and causing a small change in the angularity of shaft 26.

If the handle 186 is moved to the right, as viewed in FIG. 14, the left hand disc 185 will contact pulley 167, each time it passes, causing it to turn through a short are in a counterclockwise direction and thus causing screw 158 to drive plate 148 inwardly toward the machines main axis thereby moving the right hand end of carrier 28 to move slightly away from carrier 31 thus encouraging belt B to shift leftward.

On the other hand, moving handle 186 to the left will allow the right hand disc 185 to strike pulley 167 causing it to turn clockwise. Feedscrew 158 will then pull drive plate 148 away from the machines axis to cause the right hand end of carrier 28 to move closer to carrier 31 thus causing belt B to drift to the right.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What I claim is:

1. An abrading machine for abrading the surface of an elongated member, such as strand, wire, pipe, rod or the like, comprising, externally grooved hollow shaft means for supporting an elongated member therein, abrading means positioned at said groove, means for urging the abrading means into surface contact with said elongated member, means for moving said abrading means transversely around the surface of said elongated member, and means for causing relative rotation between all said means and said elongated member supported in said grooved hollow shaft means.

2. An abrading machine as recited in claim 1, and additionally means for adjusting the alignment of said abrading means with respect to the groove in the hollow shaft means.

3. An abrading machine as recited in claim 1, and means for adjusting the alignment of said abrading means with respect to the groove in the hollow shaft means during operation of said machine.

4. An abrading machine as recited in claim 1, and additionally means for continuously supporting the length of said elongated member in said machine.

5. An abrading machine for an elongated member such as strand, wire, rod, or pipe, comprising, externally grooved hollow shaft means for continuously supporting said elongated member in said machine, flexible abrading means positioned at said groove in continuous contact with the surface of said elongated member, means for urging said flexible abrading means into surface engagement with said elongated member, means for moving said 7 flexible abrading means transversely around said surface of said elongated member, and means for causing relative rotation between all said means and hollow shaft together said supporting means.

6. An abrading machine for abrading the surface of an elongated member, such as strand, wire, rod, or pipe, comprising, means for supporting an elongated member on the surface thereof, abrading belt means positioned adjacent to the surface of said elongated member, means for urging said abrading belt means into surface contact with said elongated member, means for moving said abrading belt means transversely around the surface of said elongated member, and means for causing relative rotation between all said means and said elongated member supported by said supportintg means.

7. An abrading machine as recited in claim 6, and additionally means for laterally adjusting said abrading belt means with respect to said supporting means.

8. An abrading machine as recited in claim 6, and additionally means for laterally adjusting said abrading belt means with respect to said supporting means while said member is being abraded.

9. An abrading machine as recited in claim 6 wherein the means for moving the abrading means past the surface of said elongated member and the means for causing relative rotation between all said means and said elongated member are adapted for independent drive.

10. An abrading machine for an elongated member, comprising, externally grooved means for continuously supporting the length of said elongated member in said machine, flexible abrading means positioned at said groove and tensioned by continuous contact with the surface of said elongated member, resilient means for urging said flexible abrading means into surface engagement with said elongated member, means for moving said flexible abrading means transversely around said surface of said elongated member, and means for causing relative rotation between all said means and said elongated member.

11. An abrading machine for an elongated member, comprising, a hollow shaft for passage of a said member therethrough, the hollow shaft having a groove therein for exposure of a portion of a said member for abrasion, an abrading system having an endless abrasive belt afllxed to the hollow shaft in alignment with said groove for rotation therewith, yielding means for forcing said abrasive belt into contact with an exposed member portion at said groove, means to move said abrasive belt past an exposed member portion at said groove, and motor means to rotate the said hollow shaft.

12. In an abrading machine as recited in claim 11, wherein said groove including greater than 180 radial relief of a shaft, and having therein a removable abrasion-resistant member support conforming to a portion of the circumference of said member.

13. In an abrading machine as recited in claim 12, wherein said hollow shaft having abrasion-resistant member support bushings in sections thereof adjacent the said groove, and a relief port transverse the body of said hollow shaft anext a said bushing.

14. In an abrading machine as recited in claim 11, wherein said abrading system includes a disc aflixed at the center thereof to said hollow shaft, shaft-mounted driven and idler carriers for the said abrasive belt positioned on said disc in spaced parallel relation, an angular adjustment on the shaft of a said carrier, and a thrust adjustment on the shaft of a said carrier.

15. In an abrading machine as recited in claim 14, wherein said angular adjustment consists of a pair of axially spaced self-aligning bearings positioning the shaft of a said carrier, plural radially deployed adjustment screws, and a post-mounted sandwich plate, one said bearing being aflixed to the disc and the other said bearing being clamped against the sandwich plate and positioned thereon in translation by the radially deployed adjustment screws.

16. In an abrading machine as recited in claim 14, wherein said thrust adjustment includes a pair of flanged bearings held in axially spaced assembly on the shaft of a carrier by plural bolt members, a threaded adjusting rod attached to the said disc and passing through the said bearing flanges, a sleeve threaded on the adjusting rod between the said bearing flanges, and means for locking the sleeve to the rod.

17. In an abrading machine as recited in claim 16, wherein said yielding means for forcing said abrasive belt into contact with an exposed member portion consists of a yoke member secured to said carrier bearing assembly and extending past said adjusting rod, a counterweight on the yoke member extension, and a spring attached between said yoke member and an extension of said disc, whereby the said carrier is pivoted about said adjusting rod to force said abrasive belt into contact with said member portion.

18. In an abrading machine as recited in claim 11, wherein said means to move said abrasive belt consists of a rotary member fixed on said driven carrier shaft, a freely rotatable member on said hollow shaft, means engaging all said rotary and rotatable members, and means to rotate the said freely rotatable member.

19. In an abrading machine as recited in claim 18, wherein said engaging means includes a drive belt, an idler pulley in contact with said drive belt, a counterweight, and a tensioning arm, aflixed at a point intermediate the length thereof to said hollow shaft, and supporting said idler pulley on one end of said arm and said counterweight on the other end of said arm.

20. In an abrading machine as recited in claim 14, a housing enclosing said carriers, abrasive belt, and grooved portion of said hollow shaft, and having an opening therein anext the said disc in substantial correspondence therewith.

21. An abrading machine a recited in claim 11, and additionally means for adjusting said abrasive belt to minimize any tendency of said abrasive belt to shift during operation of said machine.

22. An abrading machine as recited in claim 11, and additionally means for continuously supporting the length of said elongated member in said machine.

23. The method of abrading an elongated member, comprising the steps of: supporting an elongated member con tinuously along one side of the length thereof but leaving exposed a portion of the circumference of said elongated member for abrasion opposite said continuously supported length, contacting an abrasive means conformingly about the exposed circumference of said elongated member, simultaneously producing relative rotation of said continuously supporting means and abrasive means together about the circumference of the elongated member while axially moving the elongated member and drawing the abrasive means transversely around the exposed circumference of the elongated member, thereby completely and uniformly abrading said elongated member throughout the circumference and length thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 975,088 11/1910 Thompson 51-139 1,709,171 4/1929 Holmes 51-135 2,918,759 12/1959 Konazewski et al 5187 3,432,971 3/1969 Conti 5190X OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Primary Examiner UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 ,559 ,348 Dated February 2 1971 John S. Case Inventor(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 25, "oribiting should read orbiting Column 7, line 4, "said supporting means" should read and Column 8 lines 53 and 54,

said elongated member "member," should read member, and

Signed and sealed this 25th day of May 1971 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, Attesting Officer Commissioner of Pate] L'finll laniintn Hn ccn 

